Disaster Preparedness
and Relief Cooperation- The Key Roleof Volunteers’ Teams(Polish Case)
Krzysztof Pater

European Economic and Social Committee“The European Yearof Voluntary Activities
Promoting Active Citizenship(2011)”

European Council Decision of 27 November 200921

European Year ofVolunteering Objectives• Create an enabling environment forvolunteering• Empower volunteer organisations• Recognise volunteering activities• Raise awareness about value &importance of volunteering

European Economic and Social Committee

Volunteers in Europe
94 million people
23% of Europeans> 15 years old

European Economic and Social Committee2

Volunteering Input as a Shareof Total Private Philantropy(36 Countries)
32%
Value ofvolunteering
Charitablegiving

68%

Source: The Johns Hopkins Comparative
Nonprofit Sector Project

European Economic and Social Committee

Defining Volunteering„Unpaid non-compulsory work; thatis, time individuals give without pay
to activities performed either throughorganizations or directly for others
outside their own households”

European Economic and Social Committee

3

EU Volunteering Economy
vs. National Economies

Source: The Johns Hopkins Comparative
Nonprofit Sector Project
European Economic and Social Committee

Volunteer! Make a Difference4Volunteers’
Main Fields of Activity• sports and recreation• social welfare and health• culture• education• accident,
accident
accident,
id t rescue
rescue andandd fire
fifire services
servicesi• environment and animal welfare• law and crime
European Economic and Social Committee

Polish Case
The Association of Voluntary Fire– Brigades of the Republic ofPoland is the largest volunteeringorganisation in Poland

European Economic and Social Committee

5Some Facts about Poland (1)• Ethnic groups: 96.7%
Poles and 3.3% others• Area: 312,685 km2• Population: 38,186,860,
with density of 120/km2

European Economic and Social Committee

Some Facts about Poland (2)• 16 provinces• 379 countries• 2,478 communes

European Economic and Social Committee

6

The Association ofVoluntary Fire – Brigades –Some Facts (1)• established in 1921, after the regional
associations have been united• local organizational units according to
the administrative division of thecountry• composed of 16,421 Voluntary Fire –BrigadesEuropean Economic and Social Committee

The Association ofVoluntary Fire – Brigades –Some Facts (2)• VFBs utilize 15,913 fire stations,most often build by themselves;• These are often multipurpose
buildings serving the wholecommunityi - concentratingicultural life of towns andvillages.
European Economic and Social CommitteeState Fire
Service:508
fire stations

7

Local Units - CoverageCountryadministrative
units

VFB
units

Coverage(in %)

Provinces

16

16

100%

Countries

379

339

89 5%
89.5%

2,229

90.0%

Communes 2,478

European Economic and Social Committee

Main Aims• Actions in favour of life, health and property
protection against fire
fire, natural disasters
disasters, ecologicalthreats, or other local dangers;• Performing tasks imposed by the public authorities
in the area of fire and flooding protection, rescue
service and public security;• Education of children and youth on fire protection;• Promotion of sport, culture, art and traditions.

European Economic and Social Committee

8The Rescue Capacity (1)• Over 740
740,000
000 members: active,active
supporting, honorary and members ofYouth Fire – Brigades• 460,000 members taking active part in
rescue operations (age 18 – 60 + healthcertificate + trained)

European Economic and Social CommitteeState Fire
Service:
28,000fire fighters

The Rescue Capacity (2)• 3,729 VFBs (21% of total) are in theNationwide Rescue and Fire - Extinguishing
S tSystem(managed(dbby ththe StStatet FireFi Service)S i )• they can provide 18,000 crews (a fire enginewith a crew) + secure additional teams forfire engines• they perform 75% of all VFBs rescue
operations• they liquidate independently about 33% of all
threats in the country

European Economic and Social Committee

9VFBs Rescue Actions in 2010
Total in thecountry

VFB

VFB sharein %737,000

317,000

43%

3,150,000

1,614,000

51%

European Economic and Social Committee

Rescue and Fire –Extinguishing Units• 15,720 VFBs equippedi d andd
trained to take up an rescueand fire – extinguishingaction• In 2010 participated in119 690 actions
119,690ti(88% off allllfire – extinguishing actionsin the country)
European Economic and Social Committee

10Special Rescue Units – VFBs (1)3,3153315 VFBs (20% of all VFBs) equipped andtrained to provide medical help and rescue
actions
European Economic and Social Committee

Special Rescue Units – VFB (2)2,962 VFBs (18% of all VFBs) equipped andtrained to provide technical and rescue actions

European Economic and Social Committee

11Special Rescue Units – VFB (3)1,0951095 VFBs (7% of all VFBs) equipped andtrained to provide help during floods and perform
rescue actions in and on water
European Economic and Social Committee

Special Rescue Units – VFB (4)130 VFB equipped and trained to manage chemicalthreats

European Economic and Social Committee

12Special Rescue Units (5)IIn 2010 theyth participatedti i t d iin
230,980 actions (65% of all
special rescue actions inthe country)

European Economic and Social Committee

Other VFBs Activities

Over 7,200 Youth Teams operate
under the auspices of VFBs .
They unite over 92,000 members,
including almost 28,000 girls.

VFBs support national traditions,culture and art (811 VFB brassbands, 356 ensembles, ...)

European Economic and Social Committee

13

Thank You for Your Attention

Krzysztof Pater
kpater@gazeta.pl

European Economic and Social Committee

14